The RSPB is calling for all wind farms to monitor bird deaths to work out if
the turbines are killing rare species such as golden eagles.

At the moment there are no figures on how many birds are killed by wind turbines in the UK every year.

Some conservationists fear a “massacre” of eagles if more is not done to stop turbines being built in the wrong places.

Martin Harper, Director of Conservation at the RSPB, said thorough monitoring of a site for birdlife both before and after construction should be a mandatory part of planning permission.

He said surveys should not only take place before the wind farm is built, to ensure birds are not displaced from important habitat, but for three years after construction to see if birds are being killed by turbines.

“It should be Government policy. There should be a tighter regulatory regime.”

Mark Duchamp, of Save the Eagles International, said that in California 3,000 eagles have been killed over the last 25 years. In Spain 2,000 griffin vultures, that are similar to eagles, are killed every year, he added.